“She failed retirement,” laughed a retired work colleague as she spoke about her partner. Her partner had tried to retire for a year or so but was lured back to work in a job that used some of the skills she had developed from a career in education. It wasn’t the same job that she… Continue reading Building On and Moving On
Category: Retirement Tools
What are you keeping that no longer serves you?
I’m the first to admit that teachers are incessant collectors. We can’t help it. In a chronically under-funded education system, elementary school teachers use scraps of coloured tissue paper, dried leaves and wine corks for art and science lessons. Paper towel rolls can be sculptures or bird feeders or the axles of rubber band cars.… Continue reading What are you keeping that no longer serves you?
Learning To Say,“No.”
Working full-time gave me permission to opt out of things that I didn’t want to do. There wasn’t enough time to say, “Yes,” to everything. My time was occupied. Others understood this and I did too. The Guilt Of Job-Free Time. Now, I have lots of time that isn’t formally structured. It’s like having a… Continue reading Learning To Say,“No.”
Routines: good riddance or good idea?
One of the great joys of retirement is getting away from the daily grind: that routine. At first, it’s the most obvious benefit. I get to choose when I want to do things and no one will impose their routine on me anymore. It’s so freeing! It’s not unlike being on holiday and knowing that… Continue reading Routines: good riddance or good idea?
Speed Of Life
“Efficiency isn’t always the goal. Do you want to live your life in half the time it takes the average person?” – a comic titled The Type A, Rhymes With Orange 2/24/2010. 13 years ago I cut out this comic when I was so super-busy with work and family that retirement was a far off… Continue reading Speed Of Life
Goals Make Me Happy
When I was working, my goals were aligned with what I wanted to achieve for my students and in my teaching practice. They gave my days purpose and direction. As a retired person, I find that I need to set goals to give me a sense of purpose. Now, my goals are purely personal and… Continue reading Goals Make Me Happy
Internalized Ageism
How do I feel about aging? Retirement comes with the acknowledgement that time has passed and I am older… old. Then the internal conflict begins: I don’t feel old. I don’t want to be old. Do I? Seniors’ Day At Shoppers It’s that incongruous feeling that I got for the first time many years ago… Continue reading Internalized Ageism
Retired Friends Are Golden
Nurture Friendships
Choose New
Choose new ideas after retiring.
Smooth Move
You have to start somewhere and thinking about starting isn’t the same as diving in.“ I’ve noticed that there are different approaches to being retired and those with the side gig seem to have the smoothest transition. I am not one of those and because you are reading this, I expect that you are not… Continue reading Smooth Move
Retired, And Now What? 